Healthy fast food

Even chains are beginning to offer organic and meatless alternatives

Fast food doesnt have to be fattening and unhealthy. Even the major chains are taking steps toward healthier menus by reducing or eliminating trans-fats, offering veggie burgers and other meatless items, and using organic greens and fresh fruits.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

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Where can people who are constantly traveling and on
the go find healthy fast food? The latest trend in fast food is healthy and organic,
and, luckily for conscious consumers, several chains offering just such
fare are taking root in different parts of the U.S. One of the leaders of
this small but scrappy pack of fast-food upstarts is O’Naturals. The
small chain runs two stores of its own in Maine (Falmouth and Portland) and
one in Acton, Mass., and franchises out additional locations in Kansas and
Florida. O’Naturals’ menu contains lots of vegetarian-friendly
items, including build-your-own flatbread sandwiches, salads, noodle
stir-fries, and soups. The meat the restaurant does serve is grass-fed and
hormone-free; the chickens are free-range and the Alaskan salmon is
wild-caught. Another healthy option is EVOS, which runs five
“quick-casual” restaurants in Florida and is planning a major
expansion into the western U.S. Vegetarians can rejoice in the
chain’s wide selection of vegetarian and vegan items. Although its
hormone- and antibiotic-free burgers are still only about as healthy as red
meat gets, the chain’s soy burger satisfies without the guilt or the
cholesterol. Also, EVOS uses organic field greens in its wraps and salads,
organic milk in its milkshakes, and fresh fruit in its smoothies.
Additionally, the restaurant air-bakes its fries and other typically
deep-fried items to keep the fat content as much as 70 percent lower than
that of the same kinds of foods found elsewhere. Meanwhile, Seattle-based Organic to Go,with five locations in
Washington and California, lays out a wide array of grab-and-go organic and
natural foods so customers can make up their own meals from a cornucopia of
healthy choices. Other fast-food alternatives offering lots of healthy
(including vegetarian and vegan) options include Au Bon Pain,
Bruegger’s Bagels, Noah’s Bagels, and World Wrapps. Subway and
Quizno’s alike can be good options for those who are willing to study
the menu carefully. Even though many alternatives exist, it is hard to
beat the reach of the major fast-food chains, several of which are making
small steps toward healthier menus and will undoubtedly continue to do so
if consumers bite. McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, and Wendy’s
have reduced or eliminated trans-fats. Burger King now offers a veggie
burger, and McDonald’s is testing one in California. Taco Bell offers
many nonmeat options, including a bean-and-cheese burrito, a veggie fajita
wrap, and a seven-layer burrito, which can be had without the cheese and
sour cream. Carl’s Jr. also has many tasty and healthy vegetarian
options despite an otherwise standard fast-food menu. Vegetarians and
vegans looking for more ideas about what to eat when time is of the essence
should consult any number of Web sites with pages devoted to the topic,
including Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, VegCooking, FitWise, and the
Vegetarian Resource Group. And remember, nothing beats seeking out local
restaurants when you’re on the road to soak up some of the local
culture. With trends as they are, it shouldn’t be too difficult to
find many that do serve healthy menus — not quite as fast as fast
food but probably fast enough. For more information:
O’Naturals, www.onaturals.com; EVOS, www.evos.com;
Vegetarian-Restaurants.net, www.vegetarian-restaurants.net; VegCooking,
www.vegcooking.com; FitWise, www.fitwise.com; Vegetarian Resource Group,
www.vrg.org. Send questions to Earth Talk, care of E/The Environmental Magazine,
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881 or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.